Pennsylvania Domestic Violence Law
Pennsylvania Domestic Violence Defense
What you're facing under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2711; 23 Pa.C.S. § 6102, how the penalties scale, and the questions your attorney needs to answer, specific to Pennsylvania (PA) domestic violence law.
Offense Class
Misdemeanor 2 to Felony 1 depending on injury and weapon
Maximum Penalty
2 years (M2); 20 years (F1)
Maximum Fine
$25,000
Federal Firearms Prohibition (Lautenberg Amendment)
A conviction for misdemeanor domestic violence in Pennsylvania carries a federalfirearms-possession ban under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9). This consequence is collateral to Pennsylvania state penalties and applies regardless of the state sentence imposed.
Penalty Range in Pennsylvania
Charge Enhancements
These factors can elevate the charge or penalty in Pennsylvania:
- Mandatory arrest (18 Pa.C.S. § 2711) when reasonable grounds to believe domestic assault occurred
- Enhanced penalties for second+ offense
- Protection from Abuse order available under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6101
Pennsylvania-Specific Detail
Pennsylvania does not have a separate 'domestic violence' crime — assault charges are used with domestic violence designation for sentencing and mandatory arrest purposes.
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Important: This page provides legal INFORMATION about Pennsylvania domestic violence law as of the date of publication. Laws change frequently. This is not legal advice. The analysis draws on methods developed by defense attorneys, applied to public data. Your attorney remains the final authority on defense direction.